A wildfire is currently spreading in the vicinity of a renowned Australian beach, and the area is shrouded in smoke. According to the Daily Mail, the flames have breached residential streets, consuming approximately 140 hectares of land adjacent to North Belongil Beach in Byron Bay.
It’s been two days since the firefighters started trying to control the flames. The out-of-control bushfire has burned about five kilometres of Byron Bay between Bayshore Drive, Black Rock Road and Ewingsdale Road.
Authorities have requested residents and tourists to continue to watch out and keep updated with the RFS (Rural Fire Service) website for alerts. They have also issued an extreme fire danger warning for parts of Queensland due to rising temperatures throughout the state.
On Monday, the fire danger in Australia’s northern region of NSW (New South Wales) rose to an extreme level, threatening life and property.
Authorities used thermal imagining to capture aerial videos of the fire zone to understand the bushfire’s proximity to the coast.
People who witnessed the wildfire from a distance shared images on social media platforms on Sunday, showing thick and dark plumes of smoke rising from the bushland back onto Byron’s famous coastline.
Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology has cautioned the Darling Downs and Granite Belts west of Brisbane as they predicted that temperatures might reach 35 degrees Celcius on Monday. They will provide an update soon about the wildfire situation in the north of NSW.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Service said the authorities are handling 18 fires across the state, with over 60 burning in the last 24 hours. They are closely monitoring a fire in Deepwater, near Rockhampton. Moreover, they have asked the people of rural Queensland to stay informed about the situation.
The aircraft and waterbombing crews are currently on standby.
However, bushfires in Australia have become more common, widespread, and life-threatening.
In August, NSW RFS announced an early start to the fire danger season as over 70 blazes were already active in the area. On October 3, a bushfire in Bega Valley spread rapidly, leading to emergency warnings in Bermagui and surrounding towns.
On October 14, NSW RFS confirmed the death of a volunteer firefighter in the Kyogo region while working on the Bean Creek fire.
In 2019, Australia witnessed the beginning of the worst bushfire in history as it lasted till March 2020, causing massive damage throughout the country, with fires in each state and territory.